Cast metal pig



Lug. 17, 1937. R. c. YATES CAST METAL PIG Filed May 1a; 1956 INVENTDR Patented Aug. 17, 1931 UNITED STATES CAST METAL PIG Richard C. Yates,

Ontario, Canada Application May 18,

1 Claim.

This invention relates to-the metal bars, generally known as pigs, into which metal, such as iron, is cast on discharge from a blast furnace, and my'object is to devise a form of pig which may be conveniently handled, more particularly when lying on a fiat surface or stacked inpiles. A further object is to give the pig a form which will result in the pig melting in a furnace more rapidly and evenly than the pigs now in general use.

I attain my object by providing the underside of the pig with one or more hand holds extending through the side of the pig each hand hold being adapted to receive the fingers of a persons hand to facilitate the lifting of the pig from a flat surface. The hand holds preferably extendacross the underside bf the pig and are spaced apart longitudinally thereof so that the pig will rapidly melt through at the smaller cross-sec tional areas and break into pieces thus exposing additional surfaces to the heat which results in the pigs being melted quicker and more uniformly.

The constructions are hereinafter more fully described and are illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the improved pig; and

Fig. 2 a cross-section thereof on the line 2-4 in Fig. 1.

In the drawing like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different figures. I is a cast metal pig having a substantially plane top or upperside 2. The underside 3 of the pig is provided with hand holds 4, each extending through a side 5 or 8 of the pig and adapted to receive the fingers of a persons hand to facilitate the lifting of the pig when it is lying on a fiat surface. Preferably the hand holds 4 are formed as grooves extending transversely of the pig from the side 5 to the side 6 thereof and are of sufficient depth and width to receive all the fingers of a persons hand therein so that the fingers of one hand may be inserted in one groove and the fingers of the other handin the other groove to enable the pig to be readily grasped and lifted. The underside 3 of the pig is provided with a plurality of surfaces extending straight across the casting for contact with the abovementloned flat surface on the top 2 of another casting so that the pigs will stand in position for a person to insert his fingers in the hand holds 4.

The ends 1 of the pig are inclined downwardly and inwardly from the upperside 2 to the under- Buffalo, N. Y., assignor to Canadian Furnace Limited,

Port Colborne,

1938, Serial No. 80,401

side 3 and the grooves are positioned nearer the middle of the pig than to the adjacent ends thereof. By spacing the grooves or hand holds apart a distance not greater than the width of a hand hold, the hands of the person carrying the pig are spaced so closely together that the pig can'be comfortably carried transversely of the persons body. This arrangement also provides two cross-sectional areas A, B above the grooves which are smaller than the other cross sectional areas of the pig whereby the latter, when being melted, will melt through these smaller areas first thus breaking the pig into three sections.

Additional surfaces are-thus exposed to the heatwhich results in the pig as a whole being melted quicker and more uniformly than if it were a straight sided bar.

To facilitate the casting of the grooves in the pigs and to provide a surface free from corners for engagement by the fingers of the persons handling the pigs, the grooves are concavely curved longitudinally and have their corners rounded ofito die into the sides 5, 6 so that each groove has in effect a substantially convex curvature transversely thereof,

To facilitate the rapid calculation of the weight of a number of pigs without the necessity of weighing them, they are made into castings weighing approximately fifty pounds. If the operator requires a half ton of pigs for one charge in a cupola, he merely places twenty pigs therein.

What I claim as my invention is: I

A cast metal pig which is substantially quadrangular in cross section and of elongated form having a substantially flat top, the underside of the pig being provided with two transverse hand holds each of which is of a depth and width sufficient to receive all the fingers of a persons hand, the thickness of the pig between the top thereof and the bottoms of the hand holds being more than half the total thickness of the pig to prevent breakage thereof at the hand holds, the side walls of the hand holds being substantially straight from one side to the other side of the pig, the said underside being provided with a straight transverse surfaces for supporting the pig in an upright position, the hand holds being spaced apart a distance not greater than the width of a hand hold to facilitate the lifting of the pig, and the hand holds being symmetrically arranged and so located relative to the center of gravity of the pig that the pig will be in substantially perfect balance when lifted by the hand holds.

RICHARD C. YATES. 

